Should You Wash New Dishes Before Using Them For the First Time?

Stocking your kitchen with new dishware is always exciting, but much like new clothes, it’s hard to know if you should give them a quick rinse or a full wash before using for the first time. With this question in mind, we turned to the experts to find out what they suggest.

To be honest, we weren’t surprised to learn there’s total consensus on whether or not a wash before using new dishware is important. We were, however, thrilled to get some top tips on how to handle new kitchenware before our first use.

Should You Wash New Dishware Before Using?

Both our experts agree that it’s necessary to wash new dishware—if not critical. As appliance pro Dirk Sappok points out, this is purely for hygienic reasons.

“While there likely is no visible soil on items, the truth is that it has been handled by others,” he says. “If buying from a physical retail location, consider how you personally handled the items. Many others have likely done the same.”

But even if you buy something online that’s delivered to you directly from a warehouse, it would have been handled during the unpacking and repackaging process. 

“It’s been exposed to dust, handling, and packaging residue you can’t always see,” says professional cleaner Alma Hinojosa.

And this goes for all categories, from dishes to serverware, glasses to cutlery, and even your cookware. People often make the mistake of not washing their cookware diligently enough because they assume the heat from cooking will kill off any lingering germs, but this is a common misconception.

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How to Wash New Dishware

It’s important to wash new dishware the right way so you start off on the right foot.

Inspect Your Items First

If you’re hoping to save time, Hinojosa suggests unpacking, inspecting, and rinsing all at once. 

“That initial wash lets us inspect the item closely for cardboard dust, cracks, and adhesive from stickers,” she says. 

After this initial check, then you can decide if you’d like to load everything into the dishwasher, or hand wash each item first.

Machine Wash When Possible 

For any new items that are dishwasher safe, Sappok says your best bet is to add it to your next full machine load for a hardy wash.

“Your dishwasher will use far less water than hand washing,” he says, noting that the power of a machine wash will also be the most effective in clearing off any germs.

Remove All Stickers and Labels 

If your dishware has any labels or stickers, you still might need to give it a hand rinse or even a scrub before this, as Sappok says these should be removed as much as possible before loading into your machine.

“Leaving labels or stickers full and intact prior to washing may result in remnants remaining,” he says, noting that this might be harder to remove.

Hand Wash Everything Else

If you only have a few items that you need to wash, or you have things that can’t go in the dishwasher, Hinojosa says you can still get the job done with warm water, your trusted dish soap, and a good sponge.

“Sometimes, when I do have the time, I fill the sink, dunk everything in, and let it soak for a couple of minutes,” she says. 

But if you don’t have time to do a proper soak, she suggests rinsing everything with plain, warm water first—and then add soap—so dust doesn’t just get moved around.

Consider Your Drying Method

If you’ve opted to hand wash everything, you’ll need to decide if you want to air dry your items or dry them with a cloth. If you opt for a cloth, Hinojosa suggests using a non-linty microfiber cloth. 

“Never use harsh scrubbers or steel wool,” she says.